Have you ever used a slow cooker to make minestrone before? If not, you're in for a real treat with this recipe! If you have, we bet this recipe will beat any other you've tried before. This particular recipe has been carefully crafted to ensure it tastes as delicious as possible.
There are a lot of ingredients necessary for this recipe. Some of them are quite specific, so make sure you read through the list carefully and make note of everything. It may be a good idea to print out or screenshot this ingredients list, so you're guaranteed to remember everything.
While there are a lot of ingredients needed for this recipe, there are only three steps needed to cook it. Recipes that don't have lots of steps to complete are always nice! They allow you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with family. Who doesn't like the idea of that?
Without any further ado, let's get into this minestrone recipe. We truly hope you enjoy it as much as we do. If you do, make sure to share it with your family and friends! In addition, take a look at all of the other wonderful recipes we have available on our site.
Garden Minestrone
Ingredients:
1 onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
1½ teaspoons minced fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup dried Great Northern or cannellini beans (6½ ounces), picked over, salt-soaked, and rinsed
2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 zucchini (about 8 ounces), quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
8 ounces Swiss chard, stemmed and leaves sliced ½ inch thick
½ cup small pasta, such as ditalini, tubettini, or mini elbows
½ cup minced fresh basil
Salt and pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Directions:
1. Microwave onion, garlic, oil, oregano, and red pepper flake in bowl, stirring constantly, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.
2. Stir broth, tomato sauce, soaked beans, and carrots into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 9 to 11 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.
3. Stir in zucchini, chard, and pasta, cover and cook on high until vegetables and pasta are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in basil, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with Parmesan and additional olive oil.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Shaiith/Shutterstock.com.